I raised an eyebrow. “You do?”
She nodded. “I do. It’s a part of you, and I’m curious who you used to be.”
I looked at her for another beat, forcing myself not to grab her and kiss her. Goddamn, she was so beautiful in that moment. I cleared my throat and opened the door.
I expected her to laugh, tease me, anything other than what I got. She was quiet. Walking slowly around the room. Taking in every picture, every award, every inch of who I was growing up.
Finally, she stopped at my bedside table and grazed her fingers along the picture frame that sat there. A picture of me and my abuela when I graduated high school. The only Rojas that showed up for me. Ever.
“Did you grow up here?” she asked.
I nodded. “I did. When we lost my dad, I was thirteen. My mom couldn’t handle it, apparently, so she took my four brothers and left me and my abuela alone. The boys came back, except Carlos, but we still see each other.”
“Is she still alive?”
I shrugged. “I assume so. I haven’t talked to her since she left, nor do I care to. She hasn’t reached out either. My abuela has been the only mother figure I need.
She walked closer and my heart stopped. I had never been vulnerable like that with someone, and here Cara was, just looking at me, and I was telling her my whole sad life story. There was just something about that woman that made me feel safe around her, and I hoped, in return, she felt the same way. I wanted nothing more than to keep her safe.
“Thank you for showing me all of this, for letting me into your life a little bit. Your mom doesn’t know what she’s missing.” Her voice was soft and gentle.
“Of course, princesa. Thank you for listening. And I’m sorry if my abuela got too personal. I told her we were just friends, but you know how well old people listen.”
She shrugged.“It’s okay. I like her, she’s sweet. Anyway, I’ve been thinking about things since the pool party, actually.”
She’d been thinking about things? I was scared to know what that meant. Did she want to forget about the agreement we had? I frowned. “Again, I’m sorry if I crossed any lines.”
“You didn’t. I was just confused and struggling with things, internally, about us. I like you and I don’t want you to stop being yourself, Vera.
I raised an eyebrow “You like me?”
She rolled her eyes and took a step closer. Her hand found mine and shivers danced across my skin as she caressed my wrist. “You’ve sort of grown on me.”
“You like me,” I teased.
I licked my lips and her eyes moved down and lingered before moving back up to meet my eyes. She stepped even closer and before I could tease her some more, she kissed me.
She freaking kissed me! Not for her friends, or for the arrangement, either. In my childhood bedroom with no witness but my soccer trophies and quinceañera pictures.
It was a quick kiss, but it was on the lips and she pulled back slower than a normal peck dictated.
That was all she wanted to give me? I didn’t think so. I pulled her close and cupped the side of her face, bringing our mouths back together. There was no way that little kiss was all I was getting.
I deepened the kiss, giving it everything I had. Who knew if it was going to be the last. I grinned when she let out a little moan and threw her hands around my neck, drawing me closer to her. I’d happily get as close as she wanted.
It took everything I had not to throw her on the bed. It didn’t matter how desperate for her I was, doing anything other than kissing in my abuela’s house was where I drew the line. I may have been feral, but I wanted to stay alive.
I broke the kiss, smiling at her pout. “Oh, you like me, like me,” I whispered.
She rolled her eyes and tried to take a step back, but I tightened my grip on her waist, keeping her in place. “I need to hear you say it, Cara.
“You’re impossible. Fine, I like you, okay? You already know this.”
“Si, but I’ve never had confirmation.”
“Well, now you do. I like you and I kissed you, so what?”
“So, I told you I was backing off, and you kissed me. Why? Were you just playing hard to get?”
